218 MUSCICAPID.E. 



of one which has a faint reddish-tinge, and are minutely freckled and spotted with dull red, 

 particularly towards the larger end, where the markings are darker and become confluent, 

 forming small angular shaped patches in one specimen and a well defined zone on another. 

 Length (A) 0-62 x 0-45 inches; (B) 0-62 x 0-46 inches; (C) o-6 x 0-45 inches; (D) o-6 x 0-46 

 inches. Although slightly darker than typical specimens of M. Icucoptcnts, they cannot other- 

 wise be distinguished from the eggs of that species. 



Malurus lamberti. 



LAiILiEia",S SUrEKB WAKBLEK. 

 Malurus lamheHi, Vig. & Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc, Vol. XV., p. 221 (1S26); Gould, Bds. Austr., 

 fol., Vol. III., pi. 24 (1848); id., Haiidbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 327 (186.5); Sharpe, 

 Cat. Bds. Brit, Mas., Vol. TV., jv 288 (1S79). 

 Adult male — Forehead, feathers around the eye and ear-coverts turquoise-blue, which gradually 

 passes into cobalt on the croivu of the head awl nape: sides of the neck, and a collar on the hind- 

 neck velvety-black; mantle and upper portion of the back cobalt-blue; loiver portion of the hack, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts velvety-black ; scapulars bright chestnut; upper icing-coverts and quills brown, 

 the inner secondaries having dull rufous edges; tail dull blue, the lateral feathers lipped ivith u-hite; 

 a triangular shaped marking in front of the eye, cheeks, throat, and upper portion of the breast deep 

 black, the feathers on the sides of the latter deep cobalt; centre 0/ the breast dullurhite; abdomen, 

 flanks, and under tail-coverts brownish-bvff; bill black; legs and feet dark Jleshy-brown ; iris dark 

 brown. Total length in the Jlesh SS inches, wing 19, tail 3, bill 0- 4, tarsus 0S5. 



Adult kkmale — General colour above brown; upper wing-coverts and quills hronm, the 

 ■primaries narrowly edged externally with brownish-ivhite ; tail feathers dull blue: lores and a circle 

 of feathers around the eye rich chestnut; chin, throat, sides of the neck, and all the under surface 

 fulvous-brown, paler on the throat, darker on the sides of the abdomen and flanks; bill reddish- 

 brown; feet fleshy-brown ; iris dark brown. 



Distribution. — Queensland, New South Wales. 

 ^t%S HERE are five species of the genus Malurus, of which the adult males have the shoulders 

 -L chestnut or chestnut-red. These may be further separated into two sections, consisting 

 of the black throated species M. lamberti, M. amabilis, and M. assimilis; and the dark blue 

 throated birds, M. elegans and M. pulcherrimus, which are strictly confined to the western 

 portions of the continent. It is remarkable that while the adult male of M. amabilis somewhat 

 resembles in colour the adult male of M. lamberti, the adult female of the former species is 

 distinguished not only from those of its ally, but from all others of the genus in having the 

 general colour of the upper parts dark blue. 



Lambert's Superb Warbler is the oldest known species of the chestnut shouldered section 

 of the genus, and since I have separated the closely allied Malurus assimilis, there is very little 

 variation to be found in examples from different parts of Eastern .Vustralia. .\s in other species 

 of the genus, the small white tips to the tail feathers of the adult males and females vary in 

 extent, and in some examples they are entirely wanting. Prior to moulting, the tail feathers 

 in both sexes are much duller in colour, and almost approach in colour those of very 

 young birds. 



The range of the present species extends from the neighbourhood of Wide Bay in South- 

 eastern Queensland, throughout the greater portion of Eastern New South Wales. In the 

 latter State it is more freely dispersed in the scrubby undergrowth near the coast, and its range 

 does not extend far inland. As at the time of Gould's visit to Australia, the stunted vegetation 

 and heath lands about Botany Bay and Middle Harbour are still its favourite haunts near 



